The Humane Society of the United States applauds a decision by District Judge Jonathan Sullivan upholding Oklahoma’s commercial dog breeding statute and rejecting breeders’ claims that the statute and accompanying rules are unconstitutional. The law, enacted in 2010, creates a licensing and inspection process, as well as minimum standards of care, for commercial pet breeders in Oklahoma.

The HSUS has received confirmation of two cases of canine distemper in puppies recently purchased from a pet store chain in the greater Chicago area. The HSUS urges consumers who have recently handled or bought puppies from the Happiness is Pets Naperville or Downers Grove stores in the past two months to be vigilant for any sign of illness in their dogs.

The Humane Society of the United States, the Humane Society Legislative Fund and the ASPCA® have announced that the White House has responded to a petition submitted by the organizations in November asking President Obama to crack down on puppy mills.

The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information about the abandonment of four small dogs overnight Thursday in Osage Beach, Mo. The $2,500 reward is in addition to a $250 reward offered by Dogwood Animal Shelter, raising the total reward offered in this case to $2,750.